The Osun Government on Tuesday allayed fears of residents that there was no reported case of Lassa fever in the state.

Dr Temitope Oladele, the Permanent Secretary, Osun Ministry of Health, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that the government was fully prepared to forestall any outbreak of the disease.

The permanent secretary said the state had also put an emergency team on alert in case of any outbreak.

He added that a dedicated emergency telephone number had also been given to residents for contacting the team in case of an outbreak.

"We are fully prepared to forestall any outbreak of the disease. We have also embarked on sensitisation programme about the disease.

"We have our flyers around with emergency number with which people can contact our team," said the official.Also, Prof. Akeem Lasisi, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo , said there had been no reported case of the disease in the hospital.

Lasisi said the people had been sensitised to report any symptom of fever to the hospital for proper attention.The CMD said the hospital was also exchanging data with the state Ministry of Health in preparedness for any outbreak of the disease.

Lasisi, however, warned the people against bush burning, adding that doing so would force out the rats in the bush into people’s homes to contaminate their foods and water.